Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor presents its “Literature Live!” production of The Great Gatsby, running through November 25. Check the Bay Street website for specific dates and showtimes: www.baystreet.org

10:00 AM

Holiday Coat Drive:

L&W Market in Bridgehampton is holding a coat drive. Through December 31, L&W Market will be collecting lightly used or new coats, which will be donated to those in need on the East End through the local organization Maureen’s Haven. As a thank you for donating, L&W will offer a free cup of coffee to those donating coats.

8:00 AM

Turkey Trot “Run for Fun”:

The start location for the 42 annual Turkey Trot “Run for Fun” is the Montauk Green. Race check-in will be between 8 and 9:30 AM at the Montauk Chamber at 742 Montauk Highway. There will be two races: a three-mile and a six-mile. There are categories for all ages. Pre-register at Montauk Playhouse by noon, November 21. Find out more at http://www.montaukchamber.com

12:00 PM

Thanksgiving Dinner:

It’s time for the free annual community Thanksgiving dinner at the First Presbyterian Church of East Hampton. This meal is provided free for all who would like to attend. Transportation is available, and it is handicapped-accessible. Seating begins at 11:45 AM for dinner at noon. Call the church office at 631-324-0711 for reservations

7:00 PM

Jam Session:

Union Cantina in Southampton presents The Jam Session Inc. every Thursday with a concert at 7 PM followed by a jam session. www.unioncantina.net

Pols Cautiously Optimistic About Unification

President Donald Trump’s surprising about face this week led to a rare occurrence — some faint praise from political opponents, however tempered it might have been.

Trump reversed a government policy to remove children from their parents when families are apprehended entering the border illegally. Although he said it has been the policy for a decade, detractors said it was never enforced until recently.

After heart-wrenching photos of youngsters being forcibly removed from the arms of their parents, Trump issued an executive order he says will end the practice (see accompanying article in this section).

“I think the executive order is a step in the right direction. The public outrage in response to family separation was compelling and overwhelming. The president listened,” said NYS Assemblyman Fred Thiele. Just days earlier, Thiele issued an impassioned plea to the federal government to keep the families together.

“We’ve seen crying children separated from their parents and housed in abandoned stores with no one there to hold them and tell them that everything will be alright. We’ve heard their piercing wails as they beg the authorities to reunite them with their mom and dad,” said Thiele.

New York Senator Chuck Schumer issued a joint statement with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi urging authorities to act quickly to undo the damage caused to displaced youngsters.

“It seems that the administration lacks a plan, intention, and a sense of urgency to begin reuniting these children — many of whom have suffered serious emotional anguish — with their parents,” their joint press release read.

One Democrat who was not mollified by the executive order was NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has been a vocal opponent of this administration’s immigration strategy from the outset.

Cuomo called Trump’s executive order, which was reported as reversing the controversial practice of separating illegal immigrant families, “a sham that changed nothing.” Cuomo also called on the federal government to provide him with the number of immigrant children being held in foster care facilities in New York and where they are located, so the state can provide the children with mental health and other health services they may need.

The real work, Trump, Schumer, and others agreed, is to push through a concise immigration package that will be approved by both parties and then implement it in a timely manner.

“No one should get into the country who doesn’t meet the legal needs, but you don’t have to separate parents from children while adjudication is occurring,” Schumer said.

“The real question is: how will this order be implemented?” Thiele said. “The order is nothing but a piece of paper without proper implementation. How will already separated families be reunited? How will families that are detained in the future be processed?”